Rebels against Rubbish
OBJECTIVE: to look at the variety of man-made rubbish that ends up on our shores and what action can be taken to help.
TIME: 1 hour (extended to whole school initiative)
LOCATION: at the strandline on the beach.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED: copies of the information sheets.
The Activity:
BE CAREFUL! Warn everyone not to pick up any broken glass, sharp objects or dangerous litter and not to touch anything they are not sure about.
Walk along the beach and identify where most of the rubbish is - the strandline. Look at the contents of the strandline. Draw 3 circles on the sand - label them animal, plant, manmade.
Search for 5 minutes to find one object of each kind. Discuss the group's findings. You may find things placed in the wrong circle e.g. cuttlefish, maiden's purse, shells.
Define rubbish and litter. Consider whether there is natural rubbish. What will happen to it?
Will it get broken down or eaten? Everything is recycled in nature.
But what about litter?
Is any of it biodegradable? Can it be broken down by natural processes and used again by plants or animals?
Can anything be recycled?Can it be re-used?
How do you feel about litter? Can we do anything about it?- Don't throw it away carelessly, think about what we use.
Discuss the length of time items will last. Which ones are truly biodegradable?
How do you think the problem of this kind of rubbish on our beaches could be stopped? Is it a local or global problem? Think about some solutions:
- better laws
- improved sewage treatment
- stop litter being dumped at sea or on the beach
- change people's attitudes to litter, educate them about the problems it can cause and what you can do to stop it.
Suggested follow-up
Organise a Beach Clean-Up and become involved in Adopt a Beach Campaign through the Marine Conservation Society.
Look at the school grounds and plan an anti-litter campaign in school.
Make a code of good practice.
- Choose 'green' products when possible - phosphate free detergents and shampoos, biodegradable cleaners
- Buy fewer plastic things; buy things with less packaging - encourage others to do the same
- Re-use bottles, yoghurt pots and other containers where possible
- Use cardboard boxes, baskets or cloth bags at the supermarket instead of plastic carrier bags, reuse carrier bags
- Never pour paint, oil or garden chemicals down the drain
- Never drop litter or let a dog foul the beach - clear it up
- Never flush anything down the toilet that can go in a dustbin/ landfill
- Take part in recycling schemes
- Encourage others to 'reduce, re-use, recycle'
Downloads
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